Strange boot issues.

[Faustus]

Ok heres one for the new computer forum, want to see what you guys think of the problem I'm having. I'll like my specs at the end of the email.

Sometimes when I startup my system I get no video, and have to shut down cold and wait to try again, strange thing is when I put my current video card into another computer it doesn't seem to have any issues.

Also I'm running Windows XP and sometime when I boot right before the desktop loads (when the screen blanks out and loads the desktop) I get nothing at all. It just hangs there at the black screen. When this happens I notice that my USB keyboard seems to have no lights on.

Neither problem happens every time, actually I have an iussue with one MAYBE 1 in 10 times tops. In most cases cold booting takes care of the issue, if not the first time then the second.

Anyway in case you want to know here is my stats:
Soyo Dragon Mobo
XP 2200+ CPU
Enermax 300 watt PSU
2x 80gb IBM Deskstar
LiteOn DVD ROM
LiteON 40x CD-R
Built in sound.
Geforce 4 4400 video card
512 Corsair DDR
Firewire card.

So far I figure either I'm having a Mobo issue, or MAYBE on the off chance a power issue (meaning not enough)

[philly33flyers]

Seems like a power issue. 300 watts seems very little for the setup you have there. Especially with an AMD processor. And depending on how many power hungry USB devices you have it's probably even worse. I had a 350 watt PSU with my XP1800+ and it burnt out. I would suggest getting a 400 or 450 watt PSU and trying it out. If you don't notice your errors anymore then you know that's what it is.

[Faustus]

I just want to point out that an underpowered system should not cause the PSU to burn out. Likely it was just a bad PSU. Thats why I only use Enermax or Antec True power supplies.

[philly33flyers]

Acutally the PSU I had was an Enermax. I don't know much about if not enough power will cause it to burn out or not. You say it won't so i'll take you word on it. But it just seemed like that was it. I mean it was doing random restarts and the such and finally just shut my computer down one day and got this burning smell so i don't know but if you say not then i guess it was just a bad PSU.

[Faustus]

Still its nice to have a second human not look at me insanely when I suggest it might be a power issue.

[holistic]

Not dabbling in the dark arts are you. ???OVERCLOCKING

What you described above I have seen before, but I put it done to a "out of spec" AGP bus.
A quick flick of the on/off switch usually shows the video card who is boss.

To remove doubt about power issues, unplug CD and floppy. Also suggest you visit SOYO website (forum if they have) for possible mobo/video issues.
Has happened before with some manufactures.

][

[stiltman]

Maybe this might help


http://www.soyousa.com/downloads/selectresults.php?language=&col1=Proc_AMD+Athlon+XP%2...3=BIOS+Upgrade

Here's the AMD forum link;
http://www.amdforums.com/showthread.php?s=4d39f430b14c0728a17e5e2a40d9c213&threadid=242827

[Faustus]

No overclocking, and I'm totally up to day on board updates.
I'm a KT333 also btw.

[stiltman]

No overclocking, and I'm totally up to day on board updates.
I'm a KT333 also btw.

I think, they talked about going to an older BIOS instead of the latest.

[Faustus]

Yeah but I've had problems all along for the most part, way before I started upgrading my BIOS. I could give it a try but I really dont think its gonna fix anything in this case. Oh well maybe its time to upgrade to the P4 2.6 I've been wanting so badly.

[The village idiot]

Any excuse to make a new machine right?

Have you tried it with a different graphics card? Maybe a PCI graphics card? Though it might still be a power issue. I've seen this and a few different mobo's that use onboard AGP video. Sometimes the thing decides to boot to PCI video, which isn't installed, so no video. Only other time is when I did have a machine with PCI video, and it tried to boot to AGP, which wasn't installed. Mostly seen it with onboard video, and at that, I still think it might be power related.

A new power supply is a lot cheaper than a new system, and you will need it for the new machine anyway.